WFM Broadcast License Overview

Broadcast Your Watchfire Music With Confidence

If your church or organization uses Watchfire Music in Zoom, livestreamed, recorded, or hybrid services or gatherings, a WFM Broadcast License is required. We’re here to help make that clear, affordable, and manageable.

Hybrid services are covered under the Broadcast License, but Audience Tier is based only on the online audience, not in-person attendance.

See Broadcast License Plans

Why a broadcast license may be needed

Many churches and organizations now share services and testimony meetings and other gatherings through Zoom, livestreams, recordings, posted video, and hybrid formats. As these forms of sharing have become more common, copyright responsibilities have changed as well.

What has The Mother Church said about this?

The Mother Church has published guidance explaining that branches often need appropriate permissions for copyrighted music used in hybrid, livestreamed, recorded, or posted services. That guidance also notes that The Mother Church’s own licenses do not automatically cover branches for third-party copyrighted music used in hybrid or online services.

Designed to be affordable and manageable

The WFM Broadcast License is designed to be practical, affordable, and manageable for churches of different sizes and levels of online use.

Rather than requiring permissions for each individual use, the WFM Broadcast License provides a simple, all-in-one approach. This allows churches to include music as needed—whether regularly or occasionally—without added administrative complexity.

How are the plans priced?

Plans are based on two simple factors: how many Watchfire Music pieces you typically use each week, and your approximate number of online viewers.

For smaller churches, our lowest tier includes 1–4 WFM music uses per week and up to 1,000 online viewer-sessions per year, for $249 annually. It is a simple and affordable way to stay properly covered.

This helps smaller churches choose a lower-use, lower-audience option, while giving larger churches room to choose the coverage they need.

This approach helps keep the process consistent and manageable, even for churches with occasional or seasonal music use.

Watchfire Music offers a simple Broadcast License for eligible WFM catalog music used in Zoom, livestreamed, recorded, and hybrid services, testimony meetings, and other gatherings.

We’ve made this simple

The WFM Broadcast License is designed to be straightforward to use:

choose a plan based on how many Watchfire Music pieces you typically use each week
choose your Audience Tier based on your average online viewers per service
cubmit a short weekly service log — most churches complete it in about 5 minutes
Preview How Logging Works

This applies to you, your church, or your organization if you:

use Watchfire Music in Zoom, livestreamed, recorded, or hybrid services, meetings, or gatherings
livestream worship services or testimony meetings
post recorded services online
use WFM recordings, sheet music, or accompaniment tracks in broadcast, recorded, or hybrid settings
want a clear, affordable, and manageable way to stay properly covered

Our goal is to help churches and other organizations properly support the composers, arrangers, and performers whose work makes this music possible. For many, the creation of their music is their livelihood and life’s work.

We have worked hard to keep these plans affordable for you.

What the WFM Broadcast License covers

It covers eligible Watchfire Music catalog works in covered online, recorded, and hybrid settings, testimony meetings, Association meetings, lectures, public talks, concerts, and other gatherings where WFM music is included.

The Watchfire Music Broadcast License gives churches and other organizations permission, within plan limits, to use eligible Watchfire Music catalog works in covered online, recorded, and hybrid settings.

It is designed for churches and other organizations that want a practical, affordable, and manageable way to continue sharing Watchfire Music online or in hybrid services while honoring copyright responsibilities.

Important: This license applies only to eligible music offered through the Watchfire Music catalog. It does not cover music outside the WFM catalog.

See Broadcast License Plans

Common Questions

Why is a broadcast license needed?

When copyrighted music is used in livestreamed, recorded, Zoom, or posted services, additional permissions may be required beyond in-person use.

What if our church or organization only uses music a few times a year?

We understand that some churches and organizations use WFM music only occasionally rather than every week.

The WFM Broadcast License is designed as a simple annual license so WFM music can be included when needed — whether regularly, occasionally, or for special streamed events.

Offering individual permissions would significantly increase administrative complexity, which is why we’ve chosen to keep the license straightforward and consistent.

Can this license cover special events, not just regular services?

Yes. The WFM Broadcast License may cover eligible WFM music used in digitally transmitted Association meetings, lectures, public talks, concerts, care facility services, and other gatherings where WFM music is included. Each WFM piece used counts as a Music Use under your selected plan.

Does this apply to Zoom and hybrid services too?

Yes. Zoom services, livestreamed services, recorded services, hybrid services, and other digitally transmitted gatherings may involve copyright responsibilities when WFM music is included.

How is Audience Tier calculated for hybrid services?

For hybrid services, Audience Tier is based only on the online audience, not in-person attendance.

To choose the correct tier, estimate your church’s average number of online viewers per service. Your in-person congregation does not count toward the Audience Tier.

Is the Broadcast License affordable for small churches?

Yes. Smaller churches can choose lower-use and lower-audience tiers, helping them stay properly covered without unnecessary cost.

Is the weekly logging process hard to manage?

No. Churches choose a plan, estimate their online audience tier, and complete a short weekly service log. Most finish it in about 5 minutes

What WFM music does this cover?

The WFM Broadcast License covers eligible music from the Watchfire Music catalog offered on watchfiremusic.com, including recordings, sheet music, and accompaniment tracks, when used within plan limits.

Does The Mother Church’s licensing cover branch churches?

No. Branch churches are responsible for obtaining their own permissions for third-party copyrighted music used in hybrid or online services.

How do I choose a plan?

Plans are based on two things: how many WFM pieces you use each week and your approximate number of online viewers.

See Broadcast License Plans